Attack of the return address labels

I am drowning in a sea of return address labels!

They just keep coming. Every day, another set of labels appears in my mail box.

See, its how they get you. You donate to an organization or a cause, and suddenly every organization and cause wants your money. And they get you by sending you a “free gift.” 99% of the time, its a set of return address labels.

They just keep coming! Attack of the return address labels!

Why? Because they know that every time you use one of those labels you’ll get this deep feeling of guilt, if you didn’t donate. Every birthday card. Every anniversary card. Every thinking of you card. Every bill. This feeling of GUILT.

It’s enough to drive a woman mad!

It sometimes makes me wonder why any company ever offers to sell you return address labels. Surely all these non-profits keep them busy enough already!

In all seriousness, I wish with all my heart I could donate to every organization and every cause… even the ones that DON’T send me return address labels. But I don’t have an infinite pool of funds from which to give, and until that day comes, I have to pick and choose.

Meanwhile, my collection of return address labels is taking up over half of my mail organizer, and I just don’t send much via USPS any more. So some of these labels I’ve had for over a year, and I’ve already received my, “brand new set of labels as our thanks to you!”

Well, you’re welcome. My pleasure. Happy to help.

Now what?

I spent today brainstorming on creative ways to use my abundance of return address labels. Here’s what I came up with:

  1. Mark items as mine that I take to any gathering. I remember my mom would do that when she’d take a casserole or a salad to a potluck supper. It always seemed brilliant to me. Not only did it mark her bowl or serving spoon as hers, but if for some reason we had to leave early, whomever took it would know where to find us and return the item.
  2. Instead of writing my name in a book, use an address label! I don’t loan out books as much as I used to, but if I ever do, it would be easier to do that than to write my name inside.
  3. Luggage tags!
  4. Send more snail mail!
  5. Keep a set in my purse for if I am ever at a conference where you can sign up for gifts, etc. Save me from writing my name and address over and over again; plus no chance of it being illegible.
  6. I thought about using it to tag my cat in case he ever gets lost, but I figured he wouldn’t like that too much.
  7. Same for my husband.
  8. Send more mail. Any time I get a surprise card in the mail, it just brightens my day. Perhaps I should just send more notes and cards. Postcards don’t cost too much send, and the joy it might bring to someone would make them priceless.

So perhaps I can turn my attack of the return address labels into something positive instead of a guilt trip.

Anyone else have any ideas on ways to use return address labels in a new and creative way? I’m all ears!

Saint Theresa’s Prayer

May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that
has been given to you.
May you be content knowing you are a child of God.
Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to
sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of us..

3 thoughts on “Attack of the return address labels”

  1. I started using mine with a vengeance, too. I am TOTALLY going to use them on my books! I loan books to my mom and Gwen a lot. I have the frog and A&M ones. :) I’ve randomly been sending cards this year. While most people don’t acknowledge to me that they got them, I figure they probably still liked getting mail. It never hurts! It’s a dying art.

    1. I hate that its a dying art. I remember through the summers, Lindsey and I would write once a week — even though we lived only a couple miles apart. It was fun! I carried on that tradition with other friends in high school. Today we have Facebook and email for that instant gratification of correspondence. But NOTHING beats seeing someones handwritten messages. It makes me smile and really brightens the day. And it can lessen the brunt of bills in the mail. LOL!!

  2. I love this. Yes you can get a lot of address labels, and I do too. One problem with mine is that no one know how to properly spell my name. So frustrating!! And at the same time a little funny. Good ideas on how to use them….. Oh, I love that picture of Bailey!

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